Combined stop and alarm mechanism for carding-machines.



Patented Aug. 5, I902.

J. w. SCOTT. SUMBINED STOP AND ALARM MECHANISM FOR CARDING MACHINES.

(Application filed June 9, 1900.)

2 Sheets$heet I.

(No Model.)

James WAi'co lb,

anwwl o'v Q/Vitnemy YHE NORMS PETERS co. mom-mus, wnsnwnmm a. c,

No. 706,261. Patented Aug. 5, I902. J. .W. SCOTT COMBINED STOP AND ALARMMECHANISM FOR CABDING MACHINES.

(Application filed. June 9, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$haet 2.

$0Qigg E I l Z5 J3 3 J3 A g 28 11 J2 Z5\ J0 14 j 7 15 Z, l 4 Z 4 Z2 Z1 17s UlTiE JAMES W. SCOTT, OF WARREN, MAINE.

COMBINED STOP AND ALARM MECHANISM FOR CARDlNG-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 706,261, dated August5, 1902.

Application filed June 9, 1900. Serial No. 19,752. (No model.)

To all whom it Ht/11y concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. Sco'rr, a citizen of the United States,residing at Warren, in the county of Knox and State of Maine, haveinvented a new and useful Combined Stop and Alarm Mechanism forCarding-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carding-machines, and has special reference tothe improvement of that type of devices known as stop-motions, which aredesigned ordinarily to effeet, through the medium of mechanismcomplementary thereto, the stoppage of the carding-machine upon thebreaking of the sliver, roving, or drawing manipulated by a number ofmachines arranged in series, the members of which are usually known asthe first and second breakers and the finisher. As usually constructedthe stop-motions applied to wool-carding machines of the characterspecified effectually disconnect the cardingmachine from the powermechanism upon the breaking of the roving; but usually the impetusgained by the card, as these machines are termed, running at a speed ofone huntired or more revolutions per minute causes the card to continueits operation for some seconds after the disconnection of the powermechanism, and the traveler operated to feed the roving or sliver to theApperly or other feed device makes a number of turns, with the resultthat an imperfect body of wool is passed to the feed-apron, and thismust be corrected by hand before the card can be again placed inoperation, Not only this, but the overrunning of the end of the sliverfrequently necessitates the removal of the draw-rolls of the finisherand the running of the feed untilitis once more effectingaperfectdelivery. This operation is wasteful both of material and time, andtherefore one of the primary objects of the invention now underconsideration is to equip the set of cards or machines with stopmechanism which will effectually prevent the delivery to the feed tableor apron of the Apperly or other feeder of such imperfect roving orsliver as will necessitate the correction of the feed by hand or theunusual manipulation of the machine or any complementary parts thereofin order to again inaugurate the proper running of the set.

A further object of the invention is to so organize and arrange thestop-motion that the machine will be stopped when the forrndfthe"silivei as, for instance, the thickness thereofyaries to-air'eX-tentwhich will prod ugean objectionable irregularity in the yar n. Thisobject is'accomplished by'empl'o'ying a controlling device supported bythe sliver passing, over the feed table or apron and designed to effectthe stoppage of the machine not only upon the breaking of the sliver,but also upon the delivery to the feed table or apron of a sliverlacking in that uniformity of size and weight which is necessary tosecure a corresponding uniformity of the yarn-that is to say, theinvention consists in the employment of mechanism for disconnecting thepower from the cards and controlled by controlling devices, preferablyelectrical-as, for instance, a circuit-closerf0r operating saidmechanism, said controlling device comprehending a controlling elementlocated directly over the feed-table upon which the sliver is supportedand held out of its operating position, not by reason of the tensionupon the sliver, but by the bulk thereof, and therefore capable of beingoperated to stop the card when the sliver passing over the feed-tabledoes not possess proper uniformity, it being well understood by thoseskilled in the art that such irregularity of feed is frequentlyproduced-as, for instance, by the imperfect operation of theself-feeder, which conveys the loose fiber from the hopper to the firstbreaker.

Still further and subordinate objects of the invention will hereinafterappear as the necessity for their accomplishment is developed in thesucceeding description, which is directed to an exposition of thepreferred form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

Figure'l is a diagrammatic elevation of a breaker and finisher cardequipped with the belt-shipper and circuit-closing devices contemplatedby the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thebelt-shipper. Fig. 3isalongitudinalsectionalviewthere'of. Fig. 4: is adetail in perspective of the belt-shipper. Fig. 5 is a detail inperspective of the circuit-closing device which is associated with thedelivery mechanism or drawing-rolls of the breaker-card. Fig. 6 is asimilar view of the circuit-closing device associated with the Apperlyfeeder or other feeding mechanism of the finisher-card. Fig. 7 is adetail sectional view on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention no change is made in theconstruction of the carding-machine or of any of the appurtenancesthereof, and in Fig. 1 of the drawings there is diagrammatically shownthe finisher-card 1 and the breaker-card 2 of ordinary construction andarranged in the usual relation, the said breaker-card 2 being sometimestermed the second breaker, from which the sliver or roving is led to thefeeding mechanism of the finisher-card. The only part of the breakercardor second breaker 2 with which the invention is directly associated isthe delivery mechanism 3 thereof, said delivery mechanism essentiallycomprising a plurality of drawingrolls 4, between which are drawn thesliver or roving S; but as these rolls are arranged intheirusualrelation and perform theirordinary functions the same are onlydiagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. With referenceto the finisher-card 1 it may be explained that the improvements arespecially designed for use in connection with a finisher-card equippedwith a feeding mechanism 5, preferably of the type known as the Apperlyfeeder; but this feeding mechanism forms no part of the presentinvention, and it is therefore likewise shown in diagram.

' It may be explained, however, that the Apperly feed consists ofmechanism which deposits the drawing or'sliver received from theoverhead rolls in diagonal lines upon an endless apron or feed-t ablewhich travels toward and supplies the sliver to what is known as thefinisher-that is to say, the mechanism of the Apperly feed operates tolay the drawing upon the endless apron, so that its course will be backand forth from side to side of the apron in lines oblique to its line oftravel, loops or bends being formed at the sides at each return-point ofthe drawing. It is therefore evident that at this particular point thesliver or drawing is specially liable to breakage and that in themanipulation described any irregularity in its body or weight will bequickly made apparent, since this peculiar zigzag feed will cause thesliver to be drawn unduly at such points thereof as maybe weak becauseoflight weight, and it is for this reason that the stop-motion andfeedindicator is located above the feed-table of the Apperly feeder,because, as stated, it is at this point that irregularities of the feedare most clearly apparent.

The stoppage of the finisher-card is effected through the medium of abelt-shipper, (designated in its entirety by the reference-nu meral 7.)This belt-shipper is designed to be associated with the driving-belt 8of the finishercard, which driving-belt is adapted to work over eitherthe fast or loose pulleys 8 8 which are usually arranged on one end ofthe main drive-shaft 9 of the finisher-card. In its general.constructionthe belt-shipper 7 comprises a supporting-bracket 10, adapted to berigidly fastened to one side of the frame of the finisher-cardcontiguous to the drivingbelt 8 and having projected therefrom anoffstanding horizontal guide-arm 11, preferably of an angular shape incross-section, to accommodate for movement thereon a shipperslide 12.This shipper-slide is preferably in the form of an elongated sleeve,also of an angular shape in cross-section, to conform to thecross-sectional shape of the guide-arm 11 upon which it slides andhaving projected from the upper side thereof a pair of spaced belt-pins13, arranged in the usual spaced relation and designed to looselyreceive therebetween the driving-belt 8 of the finishercard, so that areciprocatory motion of the sliding sleeve 12 will provide for ashipping of the belt from one pulley to the other. The offstandinghorizontal guide-arm 11, which slidably supports the shipper-sleeve 12,is of a materially-greater length than the said sleeve 12 to accommodatethe full movement thereof to provide for the shipping of the belt fromone pulley to the other. At its outer extremity the offstandinghorizontal guidearm 11 is provided with a stop projection 14, whichlimits orarrests the outward movement of the shipper-sleeve when drawnin a direction for shipping the belt from the fast to the loose pulley,and to provide for forcing the sleeve in this direction there isemployed an actuating-spring 15, connected at one end, as at 16, to theshipper-sleeve and at its other end, as at 17, to the outer extremity ofthe guide-arm 11. The said actuating-spring 15 is of a sufficientstrength and tension to provide for bodily moving the belt 8 from thefast to the loose pulley when the shippersleeve 12 is released from itsset position with the belt working over the fast pulley Ea of thedrive-shaft 9. By moving the shippersleeve in an inward direction thedrive-belt is carried upon the fast pulley, and to secure theshipper-sleeve 12 in its set position against the tension of theactuating-spring therefor there is employed a lock-lever 18. Thislocklever 18 is preferably arranged beneath the offstanding guide arm 11and is pivotally mounted contiguous to one end, as at 19, in a bearinghanger or bracket 21, pendent from theinside of the said guide-arm 11.The short arm of the lock-lever 18 contiguous to its pivotal support 19has pivotally attached thereto at the lower end a vertically-movablelatch-pin 2,working through a guide-opening 23, piercing the arm 11 andadapted to have its upper end engage in a locking-notch 24, formed inthe inner face of one of the sides of the sleeve 12, as plainlyillustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. To provide for normally holdingthe latch-pin 22 engaged with the locking-notch 24 of the sleeve 12, thelong arm of the lever 18 is yieldingly depressed, preferably by means ofa weight 25, having a hanger connection 26 with the extremity of thelever 18, opposite the end to which the latch-pin 22 is connected and ata point between the pivotal support 19 and the weighted connectiontherewith. The said lock-lever is preferably steadied and guided in itsmovements within a bifurcated or open guidekeeper 27, pendent from theunder side of the frame 11. It will thus be seen that the weight 25serves to normally maintain the latch-pin 22 in looking engagement withthe sleeve 12 to hold the pins 13 upon the belt when the latter isworking over the fast pulley 8, and when the stoppage of thefinishercard becomes necessary this is accomplished by disengaging thepin 22 from the lockingnotch 24, so as to leave the actuating-spring 15free to retract or draw the shipper-sleeve 2 in an outward direction forshipping the belt from the fast pulley 8 to the loose pulley 8 Thereleasing of the latch-pin from the sleeve may be accomplished byvarious expedients, butin the present invention preferably so throughthe medium of an electromagnetic release device 28. The electromagneticrelease device may be conveniently in the form of the electromagnets 29and the vibrating armature 30, associated therewith. For the purposes ofthe present invention the vibrating armature 3O constitutes a trip forthe lock-lever l8 and is provided with a triparm portion 31, theextremity of which plays beneath the weighted or normally depressed endof the lock-lever 18. When the electromagnets 29 are energized, thevibrating triparm 31 will strike the weighted end of the locklever 18,thereby causing this end of the le ver to be elevated andcorrespondingly depressing the other end, with a consequent withdrawalof the latch-pin 22 from the locking-notch 24, which action releases theshipper-sleevein the manner previously explained.

The energization of the release device 28 is designed to be accomplishedupon the breakage of the sliver or roving S, either at the deliverymechanism 3 of the breaker-card 2 or at or adjacent to the Apperlyfeeder or feeding mechanism 5 of the finisher-card or bya materialdecrease in the bulk of the sliver as itpasses over the feed-table fordelivery to the finisher. To provide for the op eration of thestop-motion, which essentially consists of the belt-shipper 7 and theparts associated therewith, and the sounding of an alarm upon thebreakage of the sliver at the delivery end of the breaker-card 2, thereis employed at this point a circuit-closing device 32. Thiscircuit-closing device is designed to be arranged adjacent to anddirectly beyond the drawing-rolls 4 of the delivery mechanism 3 of thebreaker-card and in its general construction is substantially the sameas the stop-motion or circuit-closer covered by the recent patent tomyself and P. A.

Leech, No. 649,366. In the present invention, however, thecircuit-closing device 32 is modified to adapt the same for simultaneously closing not only the stop-motion, but also an alarm-circuit.

Referring specifically to the construction of the circuit-closing device32, the same essen tially consists of a supporting-block 33, to which isfitted a pair of separate and independent circuit-closers A A,respectively, each of said circuit-closers consisting of a fixedmetallic contact-button 34 and a removable contact-plate 35, securedfast at one end to the block 33 and having its free portion arrangedover and normally out of contact with the button 34 and capable of beingforced into contact with said button to provide for closing the electriccircuit associated therewith. The circuit-closer A of the circuitolosingdevice 32 constitutes a stop-motion circuit-closer, and the separateelements 34 and 35 thereof have respectively connected thereto the stopmotion circuit wires or b, which wires are also connected with therelease device or relay 28 and have included in the circuit thereof abattery B, consisting of one or more cells, as desired. The othercircuit-closer A of the circuit-closing device 32 constitutes acircuit-closer for the alarmcircuit, and the respective elements 34 35of the circuit-closer A have connected thereto the alarm-circuit Wires 0d, which have in cluded in the circuit thereof an electric alarmbell 36and a battery B.

The supporting-block 33 of the circuit-closing device 32 is adapted tobe suitably secured to the frame of the breaker-card or second breaker2, below and contiguous to the drawing-rolls 4 of the delivery mechanism3, and in connection with the pair of circuitclosers A A, carried by thesaid block 33, there is associated a swinging actuating-bail 37,which istermed in the aforesaid former patent a stop-bail. The said swingingstopbail 37 is of an approximate U form and carries on the cross-barthereof a guard-plate 38, against which the sliver or filament bears andserves to sustain the bail 37 in an inoperative position when the sliveris working properly and there is no break therein, it being observedthat the bail 37 is held in position or sustained by avertically-extending unbacked portion of the sliver, the sagging ofwhich will effect the actuation of the bail, the position of the latterbeing therefore dependent, as will be obvious, upon the tension of thesliver as it passes from the delivery-rolls of the second carder to theoverhead rigging. The said swinging actuating bail 37 is also providedwith pintle ends journaled in bearing-plates 39, fitted to thesupporting-block 33, and which pintle-arms are extended into angledpressure-arms 40, which are disposed beyond and directly opposite themovable contact-plates 35 of the circuit-closers A A and are designed tobear upon said plates to move them against the buttons when the sliverbreaks and permits the bail 37 to swing downward under its own weight.When the stock has run out of the card and there is no necessity for thecircuitclosers being actuated, the bail is held in its inoperativeposition by means of a pivotal cut-0E latch 41, which is loosely pivotedat one end, as at 42, to the block 33 and normally swings or gravitatesto a pendent inoperative positionwhen the weight of the bail is relievedtherefrom; but by moving the said cut-0E latch 41 to a position in frontof one of the movable contact-plates 35, so that one of thepressure-arms 40 will bear thereon, the weight of thebail will be heldoff from the circuit-closers until the stock is again running andsustaining the swinging bail 37 in its inoperative position. With thestock running and passing from the drawing-rolls 4 beneath theguard-plate 38 of the bail 37 the circuit-closers A A will remaininactive; but should a breakage of the sliver occur at any pointcontiguous to the drawing-rolls 4 the bail 37 will be permitted to drop,thus causing the pressure-arms 40 thereof to bear upon the movableplates 35 of both circuitclosers A A, thus simultaneously closing thestop-motion circuit a b and the alarm-circuit c d. The bell 36 will beenergized, so as to give an alarm indicating the breakage, while therelease device 28 will at the same time be energized and trip thelock-lever 18 to provide for the shipping of the belt in the mannerpreviously explained. At this point it should be noted that the locationof the circuit-closing device 32 at a point adjacent to thedelivery-rolls of the second breaker is material, inasmuch as thislocation is sufficiently removed from the Apperly or other feeder of thenext succeeding machine or finisher to prevent the disrupted or damagedportion of the sliver produced by a break adjacent to the closer 32 fromreaching the feedtable of the Apperly or other feeder by reason of theimpetus gained by the machinethat is to say, the circuit-closer 32 isdesigned located at such distance from the feed-table that theoverrunning of the finisher after the disconnection of the powermechanism will not serve to draw the injured portion of the sliver ontothe feed-table, and thus necessitate the correction of the feed by handin the manner heretofore indicated.

We now come to the consideration of that second device which controlsthe operation of the finisher by" disconnecting the same from the powerupon a breakage of the sliver, but which in addition to this functionperforms the oifice of a feed gage or indicator, serving to stop themachine and to simultaneously sound an alarm to apprise the operator inthe event of the presentation to the feed-table of the Apperly or otherfeeder of a sliver which is not of such uniform bulk as may be deemednecessary. This said second circuit-closing device 43 is designed to beattached to any suitable part of the feeder or feeding mechanism 5 topermit the sliver supported upon the feed-table to pass beneath themovable ele ment thereof, and the said device essentially consists of abase comprising fixed and mov able sections 44 and 45,which arepreferably connected at their contiguous edges by a hinge or equivalentjoint 46. The fixed basesection 44 is designed to be fastened by boltsor other suitable means to a fixed part of the feeder or feedingmechanism 5 of the finishercard, while the movable or hinged section 45is preferably of a greater length, so as to constitute what may beproperly termed a floating leaf, which loosely rests upon the top of thesliver as it passes out of the feeder or feeding mechanism upon thetable leading to the rolls of the finisher-card, and there is associatedwith the fixed and movable sections 44 and 45 of the base a pair ofseparate and independent circuit-closers C 0', each consisting-of afixed and a movable contact-plate 47 48, respectively, fitted to thefixed and movable sections of the base. The fixed contact-plate 47 ofeach circuit-closer is secured fast at one end to the fixed base-section44 and is bowed outwardly and offset therefrom, so as to overhang theupturned end 49 of the complementary movable contact plate 48, which issecured fast at one end to the movable section 45 of the base. When thesaid movable section 45 of the baseis floating upon the sliver of apredetermined size, the upturned ends of the plates 48 carried therebyare held behind and out of contact with the overhanging ends of thefixed plates 47, carried by the fixed base-section 44, so it is obviousthat upon a breakage of the sliver after leaving the leader-rolls 6 orjust before entering the feeding mechanism 5 the floating element 45after the stock has passed from beneath it will drop to a depressedposition and carry the upturned ends 49 of the contactplates 48 intometallic contact with the plates 47, thus simultaneously closing bothcircuitclosers O C. It will appear, further, that the same effect willbe produced-that is to say, both circuits will be closedby thedepression of the floating element or leaf 45 by reason of the fallingof the sliver below its proper standardthat is to say, by the irregularfeedin g of the sliver to the feed-table-and in this connection itshould be noted that this latter use of the floating leaf-that is, theutilization thereof as a feed-indicatoris made possible by reason of thefact that that portion of the sliver against which it operates is backedor directly supported. It is therefore impossible for this portion ofthe sliver to sag-as, for instance, upon the easing of the tensionthereon-and hence the floating leaf 45 can only be depressed when'thesliver runs thin over the feed-table or is broken. The circuitoloser Ohas connected to the separate members 47 48 thereof, respectively, thebranch circuit-wires e f of the alarm-circuit 0 (Z, while thecircuit-closer C has connected to the separate elements 47 48 thereof,respectively, the

ICC

branch wiresg h of the stop-motion circuit ab. Consequently upon aclosing of the two circuit-closers O C in the manner explained thealarm-bell 36 will be sounded and the beltshipper 37 actuated to effectthe simultaneous sounding of the alarm and the stopping of thefinisher-card in the same manner as caused bya breakage of the slivercontiguous to the primary circuit-closing device 32.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction,operation,andmany advantages of the herein-described combined alarm and stopmechanism will be readily understood by those familiar with the artwithout further description, and it will be understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing anyof the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a carding-machine, and stop mechanism, of a flatfeedtable over which the sliver is led to the machine, a floating leafhinged at one edge and supported directly opposite such surface by thesliver passing thereover, and means for efiecting the operation of thestop mechanism upon the gravitation of the leaf permitted when thesliver passing over the feedtable is less than the predeterminedthickness.

2. The combination with a carding-machine and stop mechanism, of asupportingsurface over which the sliver is led to the machine, a flatfloating leaf supported directly opposite such surface by the sliverpassing thereover, and means for effecting the operation of the stopmechanism through the movement of the leaf.

8. The combination with a carding-machine, and a feed-table, ofelectrical controlling mechanism for the carding-machine including astop-motion circuit, and a circuit-closer having a flat floating leafdisposed directly over and in substantially parallel relation With thetable to permit its support upon that portion of the sliver passing overand supported by the feed-table, said circuit-closer being organized toeffect the closing of the circuit upon the gravitation of the leafpermitted when the sliver fed to the feed-table is less thanapredetermined thickness.

4. The combination with a carding -machine, and a horizontal feed-table,of electrical controlling mechanism for the carding machine including astop-motion circuit, a circuit-closer having a hinged leaf formed withafiat smooth under surface imposed upon the flat sliver passing over thefeed-table, said leaf serving to cover a considerable portion of thesliver upon the feed-table in order to prevent its actuation by slightirregul larities of the sliver, and to insure its depression when aconsiderable amount of the sliver passing over the feed-table is lessthan a predetermined thickness.

5. The combination with a carding machine,and a feed-table,of electricalcontrolling mechanism for the carding-machine including a stop-motioncircuit, a circuitcloser having a flat floating leaf disposed directlyabove the table to be sustained on top of the sliver passing over saidtable, and an alarm-circuit also controlled by said circuit closer,whereby when the sliver passing over the table is less than apredetermined thickness, both the stop-motion circuit and thealarm-circuit Will be automatically closed to stop the machines and tosound .an alarm apprising the operator of the irregular feed of thesliver.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with stopmechanism and electrical controlling means therefor including astop-motion circuit, of a circuit-closer consisting of a base havingfixed and movable sections hinged together, the movable section beinghorizontally disposed and connected to the lower end of the fixedsection, and contact-plates carried by the fixed and movable sections ofthe base and designed to be brought into contact upon the downwardswinging of the movable section.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with stopmechanism and electrical controlling means therefor including astop-motion circuit, of a circuit-closer consisting of a base havingfixed and movable sections hinged together, the movable section being inthe form of a flat smooth floating leaf, a contact device mounted uponthe upper side of said leaf adjacent to its hinge connection, and acooperating contact device mounted upon the fixed base-section adjacentto the hinge.

8. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination of abelt-shipper having an electrical releasing device, a stop-motioncircuit including said releasing device, and a circuit-closing deviceconsisting of a base having fixed and movable sections hinged together,the movable section being arranged in a substantially horizontal planefor support on top of the sliver, a fixed pendent contact-plate fittedto and offset from the fixed base-section, and a movable contact-platefitted to the upper side of the movable basesection and having anupturned end overhung by and normally out of contact with the pendentend of the fixed plate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES W. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

L. O. STUDLEY, E. W. MATHEWS.

